Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu
Photo: Avihu Shapira
Beit Hanoun
Photo: Amir Cohen
Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu: Level Beit Hanoun
Safed's rabbi believes Qassam fire will not stop because of 'a few children hurt here and there in a targeted killing,' calls on IDF to erase Palestinian town. 'Instead of acting like Jews we act according to Christian morals,' he tells Ynet
If we don’t want to destroy Sderot we must destroy the Palestinian town of Beit Hanoun, Safed's Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu ruled Wednesday following the ongoing Qassam rocket fire targeting the southern Israeli town.
According to Rabbi Eliyahu, there is no chance that the rocket fire will stop due to "a few children hurt here and there in an IDF targeted killing" because they are perceived as shahids (martyrs), and therefore leveling the northern Gaza Strip town is "the only efficient solution".
"We don’t have to kill the people living there, but we must definitely destroy Beit Hanoun," he added.
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Talking to Ynet, the rabbi noted that according to Judaism, "The one who has mercy on cruel people will eventually behave cruelly to merciful people," and therefore the State of Israel must act according to the verse "If someone tries to kill you – rise up and kill him first".
"Christianity wanted to differentiate itself from the Torah and wrote in one of the New Testament books, 'Love your enemy as yourself,'" he said. "I find it difficult to understand why the Israeli government insists on acting according to the Christian morals and serve the other cheek."
'Problem will spread like a malignant disease'
In an article due to be published in the Rosh Yehudi movement's bulletin over the weekend, Rabbi Eliyahu claims that those who really love Sderot's residents cannot only pay lip service, and must demand that the government do to Gaza's Arab residents what it did to Gaza's Jewish residents.
Under the title, 'Loving Sderot – Leveling Beit Hanoun,' the rabbi wrote, "A week ago, Gaza's Arabs proved that they love Egypt, so why not?"
He goes on to say in a slightly cynical note, "I almost wrote to destroy Beit Hanound like they destroyed (former settlement of) Neveh Dekalim, but this comparison is painful for me. I know it is also painful for the Left. Erase an Arabs' neighborhood? Racism! Where is the attorney general? This is urgent!"
The rabbi also argues that the IDF's failure to fight forcefully in recent years is not aimed at crushing terror, causing 5,000 Qassam rockets to make Israel flee from Gush Katif, while 3,900 defeated Israel in Lebanon.
"Why should Hamas, which aspires to destroy Israel, stop in Sderot? They will then go for Ashkelon, then for the Gaza vicinity communities, and then for Beit Shean. Why should the State treat Beit Shean better than it treats Sderot?
"The city will be installed with a Color Red alert system and will receive a whole team of psychologists. They will also wait seven years for fortification. In the meantime, they will be visited by all the government ministers for the purpose of photo-ops."
The rabbi goes on to call Israel "Chelm", claiming that the fortification of Sderot was advancing in a slower pace than the improving Qassam range and its accurate targeting ability.
"And what about those walking on the streets?" he adds. "Perhaps they should provide every Sderot resident with a knight's iron suit."
According to Rabbi Eliyahu, If Israel fails to deal with the problem, it will spread like a malignant disease. "It must be cut off when it's still small. Instead of cutting off Sderot, we should cut off Beit Hanoun."
